The present invention generally relates to web site maintenance, and, more particularly, is directed to a system and method for use in assuring the quality of a web site.
Hyper-links (hereafter xe2x80x9clinksxe2x80x9d) permit persons viewing a web page in a web browser window on a client user computer to expeditiously navigate to another web page maintained on the same or a different server by using a pointing device, such as a mouse, to select a link to the other web page embedded in the web page being viewed. The links are associated with a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (xe2x80x9cHTTPxe2x80x9d) address identifying the location of the linked web page. By selecting a particular link, such link may be followed to its corresponding linked web page.
When a link is followed, the new web page is requested from the server identified by the HTTP address associated with the link. When the new web page is requested, one of many HTTP result codes may be returned to the client. The HTTP result codes comprise a three-digit sequence and are generally divided into several categories including informational codes (i.e. 1xx), successful codes (i.e. 2xx), redirection codes (i.e. 3xx), client error codes (i.e. 4xx), and server error codes (i.e. 5xx). For example, an HTTP result code of xe2x80x9c200xe2x80x9d indicates that the request has succeeded, whereas, an HTTP result code of xe2x80x9c404xe2x80x9d indicates that the server has not found the requested web page.
Often, a web page may include numerous links to other web pages. For example, a web based telephone directory service may provide telephone listings of businesses that have purchased advertisements in the directory in response to queries submitted by visitors to the web site. The submitted queries may, for example, seek listings by the name of a business or the category of goods or services provided by a business. Each listing provided may also include a link to a web page providing information about the business having such listing.
Unfortunately, given the dynamic environment of the Internet and intranets, links included in a web page can fail for many reasons. For example, when a web page is moved to a new server location from its previous server location or is simply removed altogether, links to it can become outdated. Links that fail because they are outdated or for other reasons can be frustrating to those persons following the links, particularly when they expect to obtain needed information from the linked web page.
The system and method of the present invention are for use in assuring the quality of a web site. The system and method of the present invention are particularly directed to the quality assurance of a telephone directory web site that, in response to queries submitted by visitors to the web site, returns telephone listings including links to web pages relating to the businesses or individuals having such listings . However, it should be appreciated that the system and method of the present invention may have applicability to the quality assurance of other types of web sites as well.
The system and method of the present invention allow a user thereof to easily access and view data records generated during periodic tests of the web site. Each record corresponds with a listing in the directory and includes at least one data field having data indicative of the outcome of a search verification test and at least one data field having data indicative of the outcome of a link verification test. The data indicative of the outcome of the search verification test may comprise a string code (e.g. xe2x80x9cOKxe2x80x9d) indicating whether the listing was properly returned by the web site when test searches by company name, category heading, phone number and the like were submitted to the web site. The data indicative of the outcome of the link verification test may comprise the HTTP result code returned when the link associated with the corresponding listing is followed. The system and method of the present invention allow the records to be filtered and sorted according to whether the link succeeded or failed during testing, as well as by the particular HTTP result code returned during testing. In this manner, the system and method of the present invention may be used to identify those links that are failing.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a system for use in assuring the quality of a web site that, in response to queries submitted by visitors to the web site, returns listings from a directory including links to web pages associated with the listings, includes a database including a plurality of records. Each record in the database corresponds to a listing in the directory and includes at least one data field having data indicative of an outcome of a search verification test and at least one data field having data indicative of an outcome of a link verification test. The system further includes a server, at least one client in communication with the server, a first interface, and a second interface. The server is enabled for searching the database for records meeting search criteria submitted to the server. The first interface is displayable by the client and is enabled for receiving search criteria and submitting search criteria received thereby to the server. The second interface is displayable by the client and is enabled for displaying a list of records meeting the submitted search criteria. In displaying the list of record, at least the data indicative of the outcome of the link verification test is displayed for each listed record. The first and second interfaces may comprise first and second web pages that are displayable by the client using a web browser.
The system of the present invention may include at least one computer executable search verification testing routine and at least one computer executable link verification testing routine. The search verification routine is enabled for generating the data indicative of the outcome of the search verification test for listings in the directory. In this regard, when executed, the search verification routine may verify whether a particular listing is being properly returned by the web site when searched for by using company name, category heading, and telephone number data from such listing to query the web site for listings matching such data. The link verification testing routine is enabled for generating the data indicative of the outcome of the link verification test for listings in the directory. In this regard, when executed, the link verification testing routine may follow a link taken from a listing store the corresponding HTTP result code returned when the link is followed in the database. The system of the present invention may further include a computer executable scheduling routine enabled for periodically initiating execution of the search verification and link verification testing routines. Such periodic execution may be initiated by the scheduling routine to occur at times when traffic on the web site is minimal, such as for example on Saturday evenings.
The system of the present invention may also include a third interface that is displayable by the client. The third interface may comprise a third web page displayable using a web browser. The third interface displays at least the data indicative of the outcome of the search verification test for a particular record displayed in the second interface. A link may be provided for each record displayed in the second interface, that, when followed, displays the third interface.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for use in assuring the quality of a web site that, in response to queries submitted by visitors to the web site, returns listings from a directory including links to web pages associated with the listings includes the step of generating a database including a plurality of records. Each record in the database corresponds to a listing in the directory and includes at least one data field having data indicative of an outcome of a search verification test and at least one data field having data indicative of an outcome of a link verification test. Communication is then established, for example via a data network, between at least one client and a server that is enabled for searching the database for records meeting search criteria submitted to the server. A first interface is then displayed on the client. The first interface, which may comprise a first web page, is enabled for receiving search criteria and submitting received search criteria to the server. Using the first interface, search criteria are received and submitted to the server. The database is searched for records meeting the search criteria. A second interface, which may comprise a second web page, is then displayed on the client wherein the records found in the search meeting the received search criteria are displayed. In the second interface, at least the data indicative of the outcome of the link verification test is displayed for each displayed record.
In the method of the present invention, the step of generating a database may include the steps of executing a computer executable search verification testing routine to generate the data indicative of the outcome of the search verification test for listings in the directory, and executing a computer executable link verification testing routine to generate the data indicative of the outcome of the link verification test for listings in the directory. In this regard, the method may further include the step of executing a computer executable scheduling routine that periodically initiates execution of the computer executable search verification and link verification testing routines.
The method of the present invention may also include the step of receiving an input identifying a record from the records displayed in the first interface and displaying a third interface. In the third interface, which may comprise a web page, at least data indicative of the outcome of the search verification test is displayed for the identified record.
These and other aspects and advantages of the present invention should become apparent from a review of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures.